steepwithdead | Folkmore

Depends, sometimes it was the fact I put too much shredded cheese on a pizza slice, other times it was him getting picky about one of us not making or eating a food the way he would. [He offers back with an amused chuckle.] Sometimes I'd drive him crazy by putting ketchup, mayo and mustard on things at once to watch him grab the ketchup bottle and eat it 'correctly'.

Truly criminal.

[He doesn't really get that one, but he doesn't get much in the way of condiments in his neck of the woods, either. (What's wrong with combining those flavours? Is it the food type?)]

[He snorts a little at the sentiment.] Sorry you have criminal at your table, Caduceus. Hopefully not the first or last time it happens.

Don't apologize unless you really mean it.

[Leonardo's in too good of a mood to actually be sorry for coming here.]

[That does a fair job of making the turtle laugh again.] Okay, okay, no joke apologies at the table.

Jokes in general are still on the table. For the record.

[Though by Leonardo's laugh, he suspects that's already well known.]

Good, because I am definitely full of those. [He pops another forkful of soba into his mouth.] You have wizened meaningful things to say to change someone's perspective. I have cringe worthy puns.

I'll admit I do like puns, too.

[His jokes are sometimes less dad, more wine aunt, but still.]

Anddd this is why we're friends. Well, one of many reasons. [He is going to have a very good time talking with Caduceus, clearly.] Everyone usually groans at any puns I make or seem to hate them.

[He fidgets with his fork idly.] Not that I've flexed that muscle in a while. Guess I haven't had the chance to.

Isn't that what children are for? To make cringe and complain about terrible jokes?

[Flex dad muscles and pun muscles at the same time.]

I raised him right, he likes my jokes. [He groans as necessary!!]

Just, haven't had... as much time in the last couple of years to joke. Guess I better make up for lost time.

Good kid.

[He knew that already, but he's glad that Leonardo feels about Casey the same way the boy feels about his sensei. That part's so important.]

I know you haven't had much to joke about for a very long time. For all of its flaws, this world has plenty. Take advantage of that, and joke to your heart's content.

The best kid. [Embarrassing dad hours, yes.]

You welcome it, but I already know Donnie, and the teen versions of my brothers, are going to hate it.

Guess I'll save my best material for you.

[Well now he's made it tempting to downplay Casey's qualities in gentle ways just to see Leonardo do his dad thing. He thinks he needs the practice anyway, so may as well help. Plus it's adorable.]

What an honour. I'll see about returning in kind. [He's not a huge jokester, but he does have his moments.] I think I owe you a story, now.

[The promise does make Leo light up a little before he can tamp it down to be chill. BE NORMAL!! Someone else enjoying something he does feels nice and exciting!] I think you do. Fair is fair after all.

[he is going to pick up one of the buns to gently let it soak in the noodles broth.]

Let's see... [A similar story, maybe, to keep the vibe going.] When my youngest sister Clarabelle was still small - well, smaller - she decided one day that she needed to learn how to climb a tree. She first asked me to teach her, but big brother Colton decided he was the best at climbing, so he would take on the lessons.

[Caduceus follows suit, trying the bun with the broth as well.]

In fairness to him, he is the better climber. What he isn't better at is flora and fauna identification. So- ah, first, does your world have a creature known as a "treant"?

[He lifts his bun from the bowl, biting into a soaked portion of it. Yes, the broth does indeed work with the bun. His shoulders slump at the flavor, enjoying it muchly.]

We do not have Treants, but, I have a feeling of just where this is story going.

[Caduceus smiles. It may be predictable, but the fun is in the telling.]

They're just like what you're probably imagining: at a glance, a tree. But they're very old creatures who can speak, and often have a lot to say. The Savalirwood is home to many strange beasts and equally strange stories.

Colton was eager to show his prowess, so he climbed with hardly a glance. Clarabelle was whispering to him the whole time, don't step on its nose! Don't poke its eyes! You'll wake it up. He was in the middle of telling her that trees don't have eyes when it came to life and demanded he get his foot out of its mouth. And then out of his own mouth, so to speak.

[Leonardo already has an idea of where this is going, but does find himself laughing at the punchline all the same.] Omigosh, that must have been fun to clear up with the poor guy they climbed.

Oh, I can bet Colton never heard the end of that one. I at least wouldn't have given Raph peace if he did that.

He certainly didn't. Especially since the treant tried to carry them out of the woods, insisting it wasn't safe for them. It took about two hours of wandering into one mess after another trying to convince it that we lived there. "I know every inch of these woods!" it kept saying, yet somehow couldn't remember that the Blooming Grove or Bone Orchard existed. It'd evidently lost its mind.

A geriatric tree- oh no. [He can't help but laugh again. Working on tearing into the dipped portion of the bun. He's sure Mikey would have strong opinions about the whole bun and noodle situation, but, at this point he doesn't care. Leo is just having a good time.]

I'm glad your siblings found their way back, but, damn. Hopefully Colton figured out to look before he leapt, or climbed in that case.

He figured out that he should keep his mouth shut about things he's not an expert on. At least for about six years.

[All bets were off at that point, around when he and Calliope left the grove. He was determined to go off and be the big hero, save Mom and Aunt Corrin.]

The plus side is, 'Belle still learned to climb, and she got to hold it over his head for ages.

[He whistles, impressed by that much.] Six years? He ever beat that record, or did he manage to avoid the same kind of fumble?

Oh, I bet. She probably still brings it up between the two of them when she cans. Mikey enjoys- [He stalls for a second, correcting himself.] enjoyed rubbing it in my face that ghosts exist.

I couldn't say. That happened around thirteen years ago. Six years is the difference between when it happened and when he went missing. [He pauses, then adds, to avoid killing the mood,] Temporarily.

[That part's important.]

You didn't believe in ghosts?

Give it time, he'll have to eat crow again for something. [He's still trying to keep the mood light as well.]

When I was a kid, I thought ghosts were made up. I gave Mikey the hardest time about it. My baby brother loved watching scary videos about ghosts. Any chance I'd get, I'd scare him over it.

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